Japan To South Korea: Lay Off The Emperor

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko bow during a national memorial service for victims in Tokyo March 11, 2012, to mark the first anniversary of an earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands and set off a nuclear crisis.

TOKYO –It’s not clear if South Korean President Lee Myung-bak intended to infuriate Japan, worsen a couple of territorial disputes and complicate U.S. security plans in Asia by picking on a kindly, 78-year-old emperor. But he managed to do it anyway. And that’s not good for anyone.

Japan and South Korea were in a renewed dispute over ownership of a small group of islands in the Sea of Japan last week when Lee declared that if Emperor Akihito wanted to visit South Korea, he would have to agree to apologize “from the bottom of his heart” for excesses during Japan’s colonial rule, which ended in 1945.

The thing is, Akihito had no plans to visit South Korea, and Lee’s remarks were widely perceived in Japan as insulting to the emperor. Akihito is a well-liked and deeply respected figure whose unprecedented television address helped calm the nation in the days following the March 11, 2011, disaster.

Lee’s comments triggered an uncharacteristically strong response from the Japanese.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda declared that since the emperor had nothing to do with the islands dispute, Lee’s demand “flies in the face of common sense.” He demanded that Lee retract the statement and apologize to Japan. (By the way, that might have been a diplomatic first: a demand for an apology, for a demand for an apology).

Noda upped the rhetoric by calling on South Korea to end its “illegal occupation” of the tiny islets and hinted at economic reprisals. The islands are called Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea.

The issue spilled over to another territorial dispute. Lee’s remarks came on the same day (August 15, the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II) that a group of Chinese protesters landed on the Senkaku islands, known as Diaoyu in China. Those protesters were quickly arrested and sent home, but Noda promised to increase patrols and surveillance around the islands, and issued stern new warnings against Chinese encroachment. It was a stronger reaction than he might otherwise have made if not for the ongoing controversy over the emperor and Takeshima/Dokdo ownership, and brought its own strong rebuke from China.

The Japanese Diet, meanwhile, passed a resolution condemning South Korea’s actions, and another resolution condemning China for encouraging the Senkaku/Diaoyu protesters. Japan controls the Senkaku islands but both Japan and China claim them as sovereign territory.

Sean King, an Asian security analyst with Park Strategies, said it’s unlikely that Lee understood the reaction that his remarks would generate in Japan. More likely, he said, they were directed at voters who will elect a new president this fall. Lee is limited to just one term and his party’s candidate is behind in the polls; anti-Japanese rhetoric is not an uncommon theme in South Korean elections.

“I just think Lee thought it was a throwaway remark, an easy two points at home. South Korea doesn’t have anything like the emperor, so I don’t think he could really relate to how Japanese would take it,” said King, who splits his time between New York and Asia and is a frequent visitor to South Korea.

While a strong diplomatic reaction might have been expected, Japan’s usually reserved public seemed to weigh in strongly, as well.

More than 1,000 protesters assembled outside Noda’s office on Friday, including many who appeared to be unattached to right-wing groups that typically protest anything related to China or Korea. The protesters seemed at least as unhappy with Lee’s remarks about the emperor as his visit to Takeshima/Dokdo a few days earlier. Lee was the first South Korean president to visit the islands while in office; South Korea has maintained a police garrison there since the 1950s.

Elsewhere, more than a few foreign journalists found themselves buttonholed in supermarkets and street corners by Japanese housewives and businessmen eager to express their unhappiness with the South Korean leader.

The controversy comes at a delicate time for U.S. security policy in Asia. The U.S. is shifting 60 percent of its Navy warships and other military forces to the Asia-Pacific region in response to China’s growing military power and aggressive territorial claims. Washington has separate defense treaties with Japan and South Korea, but wants the two countries to increase their security cooperation, particularly in surveillance and missile defense. But in May, a plan to sign two mid-level defense agreements was abruptly called off after opposition leaders accused Lee of being too close to Japan. Lee was born in Osaka and is particularly vulnerable to such accusations.

While Japanese leaders, including emperors Hirohito and Akihito, have made more than 30 statements of apology or expressions of regret for issues related to the war and colonialization over the years, many Asians have doubts about Japan’s sincerity or willingness to honestly face up to past transgressions.

The role and standing of the emperor has changed vastly since the war.

Hirohito was viewed as a direct descendent of the gods and was rarely seen or heard by the public. The first time that ordinary Japanese heard his voice was when he announced Japan’s surrender in 1945, via radio (most couldn’t understand his ornate court language, but they got the message).

Under the post-war constitution, the emperor has little role in governing, but serves as the “the symbol of the state and the unity of the people.”

It’s a pretty strong symbol. Akihito is the 125th emperor in a line that dates back 2,600 years. His birthday, December 23, is a national holiday.

Akihito was 11 when the war ended, and he acceded to the throne in January 1989 after the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito. While he rarely speaks to the press and his public appearances are meticulously stage-managed, he and Empress Michiko – the first commoner to marry into the royal family — are closely followed by much of the Japanese public. Akihito’s television address on March 15, 2011, the first by a Japanese monarch, and the subsequent visit of the royal couple to the disaster zone in northeast Japan, did much to calm public reaction to the triple disaster and raised their standing further.

Lee made his remarks about the emperor to a group of South Korean schoolteachers a few days after visiting Dokdo/Takeshima on August 10. Lee said the emperor would have to go beyond a previous expression of “deepest regrets” for Japan’s 35-year occupation of Korea.

That’s not going to happen. But perhaps a look at an earlier statement by Akihito might ease tensions all around. During a birthday meeting with Japanese reporters in December 2001, Akihito said he felt “a certain kinship with Korea.” Why? Because, Akihito said, the mother of an 8th Century Japanese emperor was herself of Korean ancestry.

Spitzer is a veteran journalist and defense correspondent, based in Tokyo. He has covered nearly every major U.S. military deployment since Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and has made more than a dozen reporting trips to Iraq and Afghanistan.

"30 statements of apology" followed up by right wing politicians annually visiting the tome aka "shrine" of international war criminals as a part of their official duty is a bit counterproductive. Realistically how many European countries would stand by silent if Germany had made a shrine to Hitler Gobel and the lot and made them martyrs in the Protestant faith and had Angela Merkel go kow-tow to them as a part of her official/state-funded duty.

Dalsuh says, "I'm Korean and I used to hang out in Westminister all day, doh mah."

Simple explanation. You had no game in K-town so you went down to Westminister to try and hook up with the ugly Viet hos. But if it ever came to marrying one you couldn't, because you and your racist family would look down upon it.

And quit acting like you were some hard rolling Korean gangster, I thought you were a Christian? Aren't you aware of Korean Gangs involvement in Sex slavery?

"Mu Yung Shin,* presently a prostitute at a Korean massage parlor in Dallas. Abducted at the age of 14 from her village home in South Korea by a group of Korean criminals, she was repeatedly raped, then sent to one of the infamous "sex farms" used by the South Korean army, where she was made a sex slave for two years. In the early nineties she was moved to the US legally through a sham marriage with an American GI and has served ever since as a Korean massage parlor prostitute in various locales stretching from Chicago and Houston to New York City.1

Mu Yung Shin is just one of several thousand Korean women abducted, raped, and virtually enslaved by the multimillion-dollar international prostitution network run by the Korean Killers, or KK. Korean Killers, and other major Korean gangs is the US such as Korean Power, based in New York, deal not only in prostitution, but in drug trafficking, extortion, and firebombings, mostly directed against the Korean community.Take Tae Sook Lee,* a longtime member of the Korean Killers based in Los Angeles' Koreatown. With two accomplices, called his "enforcers," Tae would visit Korean businesses in the area, mostly car dealerships, and demand payments of money ranging from $30,000 to $50,000. If threats and intimidation failed to net him the money, arson would result. According to Ray Futami, a detective with the LAPD, "If they [Korean business owners] didn't pay, Tae would send in his boys, his enforcers, and they would burn cars and dealerships." Tae was finally apprehended in 1989 through information gained in the shooting death of Ha-Seung Lee, a sort of Koreatown "Godfather." In an ironic, and ultimately saddening twist, it was discovered Tae's parents themselves are the owners of several businesses in the Koreatown area.2"

OgonBat87 wrote, "Chinese harass Koreans from New York to L.A. and you know it's true. Quit lying hypocrite racist. Kicking it with Viets???? Hahaha...what a lie. I have never seen a Korean person kicking it with or dating a Vietnamese person EVER in K-Town. You're SO full of sh@t.They most often bring in Whites, Japanese, or Chinese. Maybe a Filipino every now and then."

This freakin Hawaiian doesn't know what he's speaking of. I'm Korean and I used to hang out in Westminister all day, doh mah. We used to chill w/ Sonny Side and fools from the V. Actually even some Japanese, but sry no Hawaiians. The reason why there are so many Pho placees in K-town is bcuz Koreans always "kicked-it" in Westminister.

As far as Chinese harassing Koreans from NY to LA, I have no idea what your speaking of, it must be some FOB stuff.

I do kick it with whites, pinoys, japanese, chinese and you forget to mention blacks and mexicans. So what man, at least I don't chill with gays you fruitcake.

History has proven that the most funded have also propagandized the most. When Korea neutralizes that propaganda, the truth will finally come into light. Just like the birth of Mas Oyama who was fervently proclaimed as Japanese born by Japan(this was a big issue b4, now it's dismissed by Japanese with many justifications i.e. saying he spent most of his time in Japan anyhow).

Just watch when the Pinoys start gaining an international voice, we will hear much more.

Japan's emperor made visits with Hitler. They both believed they were the superior race and Germany was to take over Europe while Japan took over Asia. Fortunately, their plan did not come into fruition. Don't believe me, please do your own research!

Until Japan rids itself of it's passive racism and hidden feudalism, Korea cannot have any diplomacy with them.

Nazi War Criminals: Executed, the ones who managed to flee were executed by Mossad.

Japanese War Criminals: Set free with their looted wealth in exchange for their research on human tests which innovated biological warfare. They were also set free for divulging info on gold stashes which they stole from other countries.

Nazi War Criminals: Executed, the ones who managed to flee were executed by Mossad.

Japanese War Criminals: Set free with their looted wealth in exchange for their research on human tests which innovated biological warfare. They were also set free for divulging info on gold stashes which they stole from other countries.

Nazi War Criminals = Trial and execution, the criminals who fled to S. America were hunted down by the Mossad.

Japanese War Criminals = Set free with their looted wealth to govern Japan, their descendants still hold powerful positions in Japanese gooberment today. They were set free in exchange for human test results which innovated biological warfare and also for divulging info on their stashes of gold which they stole from other Asian nations.

Japan's Dirty Secret (it get's really interesting at the 10:10 mark), (13:10 a Japanese professor tells us what other Japanese tries to hide, his verbatim quote is, "the Japanese race has never done bad things" @ 13:30)

Japanese imperial arrogance still remains to this day, when they twist what the Korean president out of context to protest against Korea. But, let's not forget that it was under the Japanese emperor that Japan carried out its cruel imperialism against its Asian neighbors and attacked Pearl Harbor without a formal declaration of war against the U.S. Let's also not forget that, while they are up in arms over the South Korean president's remark that is quite justified, that it was the invading and occupying Japanese soldiers who murdered, in cold blood, the last empress of Korea. She was literally hacked to death savagely by their swords, into pieces! So, these Americans and Westerners who so favor Japan over Korea, either don't know jack about the true history of Asia or ignore it, because they find the Japanese to be ah-so obedient, polite, and submissive towards them outwardly and they love it.

Japan had already compensated South Korea 364 Million for Japans war times atrocities. Unfortunately the Koreans in power decided to spend that money on infrastructure than individual awards to people which were the target of the compensation. You can search under:

Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea 1965

I would be much indebted to you if you could, please, refrain from repeating the (excuse my French!) propaganda lie of the „125th emperor in a line that dates back 2,600 years“. I know it sounds impressing. But, unfortunately, it is still wrong. Serious historians nowadays agree that the imperial family dates back around 1500 years (give or take 200 or 300). The 2600 years are a myth, and what is more, a myth that cannot possibly be true because Japan, in the sense of an unified country, did not exist before around the fourth century A.D.. That obviously means that there cannot have been a „ruler of Japan“ before that time, be he called emperor or otherwise. A character like Jimmu (who is supposed to have been the first emperor), a sort of tribal chief who was putting together political hegemony over large areas of Japan, would have appeared around the fourth century, but certainly not much before.

You may be thinking that I am being overly pedantic. Who cares after all if it is 2600 or 1500 years! But the point is that Japan´s ultranationalists do care a lot. The myth is being repeated constantly by them and, what is still worse, not only by them. During a House of Councillors Budget Committee session on March 12 of this year Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said, "We must take into consideration the historical importance of the Emperors' male line having been retained for 125 generations." (Not to mention the fact that even if 125 emperors were true this still doesn't translate into 125 generations unless succession was from father to son (or nephew) in each case, which it wasn't. In many cases it was like brother succeeding brother succeeding half-brother succeeding uncle succeeding uncle's half-sister etc etc etc, and often abdicating before the age of 30... But this is just for the record.) I know that most people are not aware of it but when Noda says such a thing this is as if the president of the US stated in an official speech that the earth is flat because that is what the bible says. Most fortunately, that would not happen. But in Japan it is reality, and nobody even cares to comment on it.

There is a very clear political agenda behind this. If I may quote a 2006 Time article, „Japan's Mystery of Majesty“:

"Indeed, the IHA [Imperial Household Agency] encourages a mixing of history and myth, thus clouding any debate about what the monarchy's role should be. Says Doshisha University's Mori: "It's common knowledge that the first nine Emperors were fabricated." That may be so among academics, but not necessarily among the wider public. Conservatives routinely trot out the IHA's chronicle as fact—so endorsing the idea that Jimmu was the very first Emperor in an unbroken line that has lasted 2,666 years. "It is historical fact that Jimmu existed," insists conservative Diet member Shimomura. "There is no reason myth and history need to be separate—124 Emperors since Jimmu is not myth. It is history."

For Japan's still-powerful ultranationalists, who would like to reinstate a reverence for the Emperor, an unbroken lineage stretching back to Jimmu retains a mystical, even religious, importance. Many Japanese consider the imperial system a unique

expression of the country's culture, history and unity. But for some conservatives the Emperor retains an even greater, talismanic importance as the ultimate embodiment of Japan's kokutai—the body politic. Akira Momochi, a professor of constitutional law at Nihon University, says, "The Emperor possesses a divine existence, a sacred existence." Norifumi Shimazu, head of theology at the staunchly conservative Association of Shinto Shrines, stresses the Emperor's purported central role in Japanese history: "Japan cannot exist as a country without the Emperor. The history of Japan begins with the Emperor. The Emperor is at the root of who we are as Japanese." Yuko Tojo, a right-wing activist who is the granddaughter of wartime Prime Minister and convicted Class-A war criminal Hideki Tojo, calls the Emperor Japan's "spiritual core.""

So, please, Mr Spitzer, I would like to ask you to not repeat this historical falsehood about the 2600 years ever again. You would really make me very happy indeed.

@Aetiusnow: Yes you are quite correct in your historical facts between Corea and Japan. I am quite pleased to say that you are one of the few people who have commented on this article based on facts, unlike this guy named "Gene" who is yet again twisting up the facts to mislead the public and himself for that matter, similar to how japs misguide themselves and continue having a fake national honor that was gained by forcibly taking from their neighbors (Corea); colonization 1910-1945, and other neighboring nations in the pacific along with using distorted textbooks being taught to children in Japan how how falsely WW2 really went down.The emperor finally admits there is Corean blood in their bloodline, but this article comes short to also reveal that Corea was looked up upon by japan during that time period when they took a Baekjae "Princess" to be a queen of their royal family at the time because it was a sign of the superiority of the Corea people and nation at the time compared to the island barbarian upstarts who were starting their own kingdom which we now know as "Tokyo" along with their imperial family. And yes you are correct in the assertion that cultures definitely do not start on islands (Japan), it was more like Corea helping out their neighbors be more civilized and as a thank you japan throughout history has always tried to invade Corea and attempt to use their land as a stepping stone to invade mainland China for Asian domination, and eventually the world. People like Gene, who is probably japanese, or is pro-japanese really needs to get their facts straight and quit distorting and turning the truth backwards. It's getting quite annoying to see people like this think that they are correct when Corea is the primary nation to aid and support japan in acquiring a civilized culture, with fine arts and even military combat and weapons that conveniently resemble ancient Corean styles and ways. In other words, japan ripped off Corean culture to call it their own, just like how they tried to bite-off Kimchi as their own as well a few years back. What's next, the list goes on and on. So, Aetiusnow is right, this conversation would be an endless back and forth with Gene distorting facts to waste both Aetiusnow's time and maybe even mine. Anyhow, at the end of the day, japan is was pretty much the Nazi's of Asia, thinking that they were better then everybody else, and need to sincerely apologize and their hands and knees to their Corean ancestors who help give them a nation that they have today. And anyone trying to refute my comment needs to do their research and know that Japan was and still is inferior to their Corean neighbors, pound for pound, acre by acre.

@Gene: The only reason Japan in your eyes is a staunch and most trusted ally in east Asia is because they have no one else to turn to, because they are that much hated by pretty much everyone in Asia, even to the point of turning their cheeks after being nuked up the you know what. South and North Corea always face the reality of their belongings, artifacts, their history being burned to a pile of ashes, and countless stories of people's grandmothers being used as comfort women and people grandfathers being murdered in cold blood by imperialist Japan every day you naive and ignorant excuse of a respondent. If you think Coreans are racist toward japs, you have no idea how much more japs are racist and even cruel to their ancient ancestors; another example of you hiding the truth of how horrible japs are. BTW, Apple stole many things before your claim that Samsung stole from them dumbass. Its called simple capitalistic competition idiot. And the so-called money Corea used to build infrastructure came from looted treasure from Corea and other parts of the world that were purposely sunk near the island of Japan near the end of the war where the sailors were shot by their commanders and later the government sent divers to retrieve all the sunken treasures to vastly help rebuild their war-torn country to what it is today smartass!! You think your so smart but people like me will let idiots like you know the complete and real truth about the scandalous people your defending LOL!! And yeah your right about "time will tell" and world opinion is becoming aware of the truth because people like me will eventually come around and reveal more of what that truth really is. So before you (Gene) go flapping your mouth off thinking you know all this and that, go do your proper research from credible sources before you make yourself look like a moron you ignorant fool!!

· @Aetiusnow: Yes you are quite correct in your historical facts between Corea and Japan. I am quite pleased to say that you are one of the few people who have commented on this article based on facts, unlike this guy named "Gene" who is yet again twisting up the facts to mislead the public and himself for that matter, similar to how japs misguide themselves and continue having a fake national honor that was gained by forcibly taking from their neighbors (Corea); colonization 1910-1945, and other neighboring nations in the pacific aong with having their elementery school teachers used distorted textbooks to teach a new generation of japs distorted history which is in Japan's favor of how WW2 went down.

The emperor finally admits there is Corean blood in their bloodline, but this article comes short to also reveal that Corea was looked up upon by japan during that time period when they took a Baekjae "Princess" to be a queen of their royal family at the time because it was a sign of the superiority of the Corea people and nation at the time compared to the island barbarian upstarts who were starting their own kingdom which we now know as "Tokyo" along with their imperial family. And yes you are correct in the assertion that cultures definitely do not start on islands (Japan), it was more like Corea helping out their neighbors be more civilized and as a thank you japan throughout history has always tried to invade Corea and attempt to use their land as a stepping stone to invade mainland China for Asian domination, and eventually the world.

People like Gene, who is probably japanese, or is pro-japanese really needs to get their facts straight and quit distorting and turning the truth backwards. It's getting quite annoying to see people like this think that they are correct when Corea is the primary nation to aid and support japan in acquiring a civilized culture, with fine arts and even military combat and weapons that conveniently resemble ancient Corean styles and ways. In other words, japan ripped off Corean culture to call it their own, just like how they tried to bite-off Kimchi as their own as well a few years back. What's next, the list goes on and on. So, Aetiusnow is right, this conversation would be an endless back and forth with Gene distorting facts to waste both Aetiusnow's time and maybe even mine. Anyhow, at the end of the day, japan is was pretty much the Nazi's of Asia, thinking that they were better then everybody else, and need to sincerely apologize on their hands and knees to their Corean ancestors who help give them a nation that they have today. And anyone trying to refute my comment needs to do their research and know that Japan was and still is inferior to their Corean neighbors, pound for pound, acre by acre.

@Gene: The only reason Japan in your eyes is a staunch and most trusted ally in east Asia is because they have no one else to turn to, because they are that much hated by pretty much everyone in Asia, even to the point of turning their cheeks after being nuked up the you know what. South and North Corea always face the reality of their belongings, artifacts, their history being burned to a pile of ashes, and countless stories of people's grandmothers being used as comfort women and people grandfathers being murdered in cold blood by imperialist Japan every day you naive and ignorant excuse of a respondent. If you think Coreans are racist toward japs, you have no idea how much more japs are racist and even cruel to their ancient ancestors; another example of you hiding the truth of how horrible japs are. BTW, Apple stole many things before your claim that Samsung stole from them dumbass. Its called simple capitalistic competition idiot. And the so-called money Corea used to build infrastructure came from looted treasure from Corea and other parts of the world that were purposely sunk near the island of Japan near the end of the war where the sailors were shot by their commanders and later the government sent divers to retrieve all the sunken treasures to vastly help rebuild their war-torn country to what it is today smartass!! You think your so smart but people like me will let idiots like you know the complete and real truth about the scandalous people your defending LOL!! And yeah your right about "time will tell" and world opinion is becoming aware of the truth because people like me will eventually come around and reveal more of what that truth really is. So before you (Gene) go flapping your mouth off thinking you know all this and that, go do your proper research from credible sources before you make yourself look like a moron you ignorant fool!!

>the mother of an 8th Century Japanese emperor was herself of Korean ancestr

y

It's very misleading. It's not a history and only a typical Korean fantasy that Korean people want it to be. The emperor said, the mother of an 8th Century Japanese emperor was related to "Korean peninsular" at that time.

Korean people now living in the Korean peninsular are the descendant of Silla and her race was exterminated by Silla. So she had nothing to do with the ethnic group now living in the Korean peninsular. Different race, different nation, different culture, different language…

Wow I'm actually surprised someone who'd travel to Korea so frequently would make such remark. Before making a statement, the government runs a simulation as to what kind of reaction they'd expect. Japan has been in conflict with neighboring countries for quite a while regarding islands, and they never admitted their deeds during the war. A good counterpart would be the Germans, who have openly apologized and are really sympathetic when it comes to the matter. I'm sure the president had more in his mind than this so-called security analyst guy thinks.

Wow I'm actually surprised someone who'd travel to Korea so frequently would make such remark. Before making a statement, the government runs a simulation as to what kind of reaction they'd expect. Japan has been in conflict with neighboring countries for quite a while regarding islands, and they never admitted their deeds during the war. A good counterpart would be the Germans, who have openly apologized and are really sympathetic when it comes to the matter. I'm sure the president had more in his mind than this so-called security analyst guy thinks.

Wow I'm actually surprised someone who'd travel to Korea so frequently would make such remark. Before making a statement, the government runs a simulation as to what kind of reaction they'd expect. Japan has been in conflict with neighboring countries for quite a while regarding islands, and they never admitted their deeds during the war. A good counterpart would be the Germans, who have openly apologized and are really sympathetic when it comes to the matter. I'm sure the president had more in his mind than this so-called security analyst guy thinks.

Wow I'm actually surprised someone who'd travel to Korea so frequently would make such remark. Before making a statement, the government runs a simulation as to what kind of reaction they'd expect. Japan has been in conflict with neighboring countries for quite a while regarding islands, and they never admitted their deeds during the war. A good counterpart would be the Germans, who have openly apologized and are really sympathetic when it comes to the matter. I'm sure the president had more in his mind than this so-called security analyst guy thinks.

1) He wants to shore up his anti-Japanese credentials after the foiled military agreements with Japan. The agreements were negotiated in secret because the Korean public would not stomach a military alliance with Japan allowing Japanese troops on Korean soil in emergency circumstances. The U.S. wants Japan to play an active military role in Asia and pushed S. Korea and Japan into the agreements. But Japan playing the senior partner in such alliance would make S. Korea an apparent military protectorate of Japan, an abhorrent situation to many Koreans. Lee and his foreign policy team fear being branded "traitors" like the 5 Traitors-of-1905 who ratified the treaty making Korea a Japanese protectorate. Provoking the Japanese in the extreme is a clever, albeit cowardly way for Lee and his team to wash their hands of their dirty deeds.

2) He wants to help his party's presidential nominee, Ms. Park. Park is a daughter of the former President Park who served in the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII. The opposition parties were likely to attack the "pro-Japanese" past of Park's father, and discredit Park. Lee insulting the Japanese in the worst ways, and Park standing firm on Dokdo with Lee, etc., would help Park deflect the attacks on her father's past.

Lee is known for scapegoating innocent underlings or outsiders for his misdeeds, and using the tactic on the Emperor this time.

If Japan and South Korea were to declare war on one another, wonder if we would have to fight on both sides, with American troops sometimes bravely battling each other to the death. Such is the sad plight of an empire.

While it is news to the West, in Asia is known that Japanese are descendants of an old Korean Kingdom called Baekjae, which was ousted by its rival Shilla essentially out of the Peninsula into Kyushu, forcing many "natives" to extinction.